Gathering detailed information on the views of people in Wales

Why the client needed the research
The National Survey for Wales provides an opportunity for the people of Wales to have their say on the issues that are important to them and help to shape the policies of the Welsh Government. The information collected is used to inform the development of policy, the delivery of public services and to find out about the well-being of the people of Wales. By providing this information, participants in the survey help the Welsh Government to better understand the needs of people living in Wales and to make sure that money is spent in the right places and in the most effective way.
Our approach
The National Survey for Wales involves 25 minute face-to-face interviews with a randomly selected representative sample of people aged 16 and over across Wales, and it runs all year round. The content of the survey changes slightly each year to ensure it continues to meet the needs of the Welsh Ministers and policy departments.

The fieldwork for the National Survey for Wales is carried out jointly by Beaufort Research and TNS-BMRB. Each year, a sample of 25,000 addresses are selected at random from the Royal Mail’s list of addresses. Survey interviews then take place face-to-face with one randomly-selected adult in each selected household.

We achieve a successful sample size of approximately 14,500 addresses across Wales (660 per local authority), equating to a survey response rate of approximately 70%. Not only is the sample is sufficient to provide detailed demographic analysis at a national level, but it also allows for basic demographic analysis at a local authority level annually for each reporting year (April to March).

The sample is assigned to interviewers evenly across the survey year to achieve approximately equal numbers of interviews conducted in each month and quarter within each local authority. This ensures that any seasonality of data will be correctly reflected at that level without being affected by inconsistent sample size and structure.

The outcome
National Survey for Wales results are used by the Welsh Government to help make Wales a better place to live. They help it to:
- make decisions that are based on sound evidence
- monitor changes over time
- identify areas of good practice that can be implemented more widely
- identify areas or groups that would benefit from intensive local support, so action can be targeted as effectively as possible